THE SECRETARY FOR SCOTLAND (Lord BALFOUR)said this Bill had come from the other House, through which it had passed without any Amendment and without any opposition. In 1885, when the redistribution of seats took place, the then new Parliamentary Divisions of Glasgow were made to fit 1194 exactly with the municipal wards of the city, and were described in the schedule to the Bill by the members of the wards. Since that time it had become necessary to extend the boundaries of the city of Glasgow; several boroughs had been absorbed in the city, and by an Act of Parliament passed in 1891 it was provided that the wards for municipal purposes should be re arranged and renumbered. Under the circumstances, the description of the Divisions for Parliamentary purposes by the number of the wards had ceased to be operative, and it had become necessary to redescribe them. Care had been taken to do now what should have been done ten years ago—to define the boundaries by marks and descriptions which would be always available. Under the circumstances, he hoped the House would have no hesitation in agreeing to the Second Reading of the Bill.
§ Read 2a (according to Order): and committed to a Committee of the whole House on Thursday next.